The original American Idol is touring the country at the moment, taking fan requests at each stop and then covering classic tracks. She recently knocked Anna Nalick's "Breathe" out of the impressive park and prior to that she went with a Britney Spears single.

David Rakoff, an award-winning author best known for his dark humor and cynical outlook on life, passed away today after a long battle with cancer. He was 47.

Rakoff wrote for The New York Times and Newsweek, among other publications, and his essay collection "Half Empty" won the Thurber Prize for American Humor. He also penned the bestselling books "Don't Get Too Comfortable" and "Fraud."